Television distribution networks and associated receiving equipment, such as set-top boxes, are often very complicated equipment. There are many hardware components, features and settings which may have potential problems within the television receiver. When a user of the television receiver calls customer support, a customer agent may walk the user through various troubleshooting procedures, trying to determine the source and/or remedy for the problem. Because the television receiver is located remotely with respect to the customer support agent (CSR), the CSR is unable to see the output of the television receiver or input commands to the television receiver. Therefore, it may be difficult for the customer agent to correctly diagnose a problem with the television receiver from the remote location. Often, the agent will order a technician out to physically look at the television receiver or have the customer physically return the television receiver to the operator for observation. Both options cost the operator significantly more money than having a customer support agent diagnose and remedy the problem over the telephone. Thus, it would be desirable for the customer support agent to have more flexibility to remotely diagnose problems on a customer's television receiver.